When trying to build the body of your dreams it’s not easy to know what the best home gym equipment may be, because not everybody has the means to spend a fortune on gym memberships, and expensive home gym set-ups.

If you want to build a home gym at a low price, this guide will certainly help you decide which home gym equipment to get, or should you even buy any at all?

Many will argue that you can easily burn fat and get an amazing body with just body weight exercises and this is certainly true! You do not NEED any additional gym equipment. If you take the time to be creative you should be able to find a way to perform most exercises at home without them. However, home gym equipment these days are so cheap and give you that added functionality and comfort that allows you to make your workouts better.

Top 10 Recommended Home Workout Equipment At Low Cost

#1 : Yoga Mat

A yoga mat is such a simple and cheap piece of home gym equipment that gives you a TON of added comfort for almost all exercises performed on the floor, such as ab workouts, stretching, resting, anything that requires sitting or putting your knees or elbows on the ground (which can be quite a lot of exercises).

The yoga mats are usually very easy to keep clean and sanitary because of their material.

On the yoga mat I basically perform all my stretching and laying exercises. You can pretty much get any yoga mat that you like. You can buy them at your local fitness shop, any store or on Amazon for example. I’ve linked up amazon with lots of yoga mats here.

If you need great tips before buying your yoga mat check out Huffingtonpost’s “7 tips besfore buying a yoga mat article“.

#2: Pull-Up Bar

For me, the pull-up bar is one of the most ESSENTIAL and cheap workout equipment ever created. This should probably be #1 because it helps do the one thing we usually don’t do at home: PULL.

Building a wide back is a goal for many, and doing pull-ups is the fastest way to get it. I can recommend any method or means of building or buying a pull-up bar. They are cheap and will be the best investment ever. I have had mine for over 10 years at this point.

I can do a few “pull-ups” whenever I feel like it, because it’s sitting in my door frame already. There are a few variations of the pull-up bar.

Lots of handles/wierd grips
Perfectly straight like in the picture to the left.
Just a “bar” that you mount in the wall, more permanently
A bar hanging off the wall or from the ceiling.
In a “frame”, maybe on a squat-rack or other BIG workout equipment.

I recommend whatever is most comfortable for you. If you want to go with a cheap solution, the simple one that fits in your door is perfectly fine, such as this one.

#3: Jump Rope

One of the most classic, cheap and effective pieces of equipment you could buy is probably the jump rope. It speaks for itself how to use it.

Jump the rope using a simple routine like this:

30-60 seconds of jumping
30-60 seconds of rest

Repeat 10 times

This beginner routine will help blast off fat quickly. You will be tired. You will be motivated because of the results you are getting.

#4: Kettlebells

Kettlebells are not the CHEAPEST of tools, but investing in, or making a kettlebell will be a great choice for your workouts spinal health.

The kettlebell is a Russian invention for exercising flexibility, strength and cardio at the same time.

My favorite exercise using the kettlebell is the Kettlebell Swing from Timothy Ferris 4-Hour Body. A great book, by the way. I own it both in digital and physical form!

Choose a little bit heavier kettlebell than you think you can handle, because you will get strong fast with this exercise and get a great, stable, straight and healthy posterior chain (back).

#5 Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are a great invention for “at home-gymmers” if that’s a term. Anyone who needs to add resistance to an exercise, but do not have dumbbells or a bench-press at home (not many people do), should substitute this with some simple resistance bands.I can recommend, Fitness Master 5-Color Resistance Band Set with Door Anchor Attachment, Legs Ankle Straps, Case and Exercise Guide (11 Items).

You get a fairly complete package, for around $20! Can’t beat the price for what you get. Lots of resistance you can use for various exercises:

Bicep curls (get resistance at the top, which can’t be had with dumbbells)
Squats
Pull-aparts (great for shoulders)
Band-rows

There are plenty more simple exercises that usually cannot be done at home without resistance bands. You can also use them for added help when you cannot perform a full pull-up, etc. There are just lots of uses for these little suckers. Stretching is another. Resistance bands are easy on the knees, thus help if you have knee pain.

#6 Adjustable Dumbbells

Why do they need to be adjustable? If you are a beginner, you will need to vary your dumbbell size quite a lot in your training. Instead of buying “one-size” dumbbells that you cannot change the size of, why not make them adjustable? This way you can choose what weight to use, simply changing the weights yourself.

There will be some “added work” changing the weights, but heck.. You save tons of money not having to buy one for each size. Let’s not even talk about space.

Some people recommend more expensive adjustable dumbbells such as: Powerblock 24 Piece or Bowflex Select. It’s up to you what you choose. Remember those are “expensive” alternatives to something we can do with a simple “short barbell” dumbbells like CAP dumbbells. I live in Sweden, so I am stuck with barbell style dumbbells at the moment. Haven’t found PowerBlock or BowFlex style here yet.

#7 Ab Wheel

Yes, this old classic is an AMAZING ab workout! If you can simply do this ab wheel for about 15-20 repetitions you have a fairly strong core. You should be SQUEEZING your stomach and hips as you roll out, and back in. Try to perform 15-20 repetitions for 3-4 sets and your abs will be smoked.

This little wheel is like less than $10 on amazon, so order one straight away.

The Ab Wheels is so deviously simple, yet gives amazing results. Use it at the end of jogging or any workout routine you do at home for, literally 5 minutes and your abs will be strong enough to have six pack abs!

Order the ab wheel for $10 on Amazon today.

#8 Aerobic Step-Up Platform

It took me a while to get an aerobic step-up platform, because I could simply use the stairs, a curb or something close-by for my step-up work. However, as time went by, I saw people using this in gyms, not only for stepping on, but laying on. Hopping from side to side. Squatting, then sitting on it etc.

What I saw sparked a few new ideas and areas of use for me. Since then I’ve bought my own step-up platform and now I use it for lots of various exercises. I can easily say that for less than $25 this will be a very good piece of equipment for your home gym!

The most recommended one and BEST SELLER with highest review is: “THE STEP STUDIO PLATFORM” Unfortunately, it’s not the one I personally have, but if you are in the United States, this seems to be the best one most people are using. They are also happy with it.

#9 Hand Grippers

Can’t lift things? Get problems. Hand grippers help build strength in the forearms, something many people neglect when exercising. This leads to problems lifting, and pulling. You may get problems with your tendons in the elbows from pull-ups or tendonidis when doing rows.

Having a pair of cheap or professional (up to you), hand grippers you will really start to see an improvement in your deadlift, pulls and rows.

I have noticed a massive difference from using hand grippers over a long-period of time. This is a “bit boring”, but actually very important piece of equipment for many who lack forearm strength.

#10 Medicine Ball

In school I had no idea why I should have such a stupid, heavy, non-useful ball. These were one of the things in school that perplexed my mind. Growing up, I now understand why they are good.

Throwing it
Using it as a weight while extended
Twising
Squatting
Elevating
Pressing
Balancing

There are so many uses for a medicine ball that I never realized. And now you can get it for just around $20 at amazon! Order one for yourself now.

This concludes my personal top 10 best home gym equipment on a budget that I feel are useful and actually have a purpose. Lots of other tools are available to buy, but so much of it is pure crap. Focus on moving, eating well and you will have a much happier body to be thankful and grateful for.

Most of these you can pick up for less than $20! Some of them are in the $40 range, but I promise you one thing, none of them will break your budget. You also get to keep them, unlike a gym-membership that costs $25 or more per month and you never get it back. You may not be motivated enough to go, thus leaving you poorer each month.

Here you can build your own “mini-gym” with cheap tools and keep them. Invest in yourself and your body.

You may also want to read about 10 great power foods to eat or 4 things to look for in a weight loss plan.

Which one is your favorite? Did I miss something that you use that is ESSENTIAL for you?

Please comment below and we can add to the list!